Miss Hardbrooms Secret
by bob-fred93
Summary: Miss Hardbroom has a secret that concerns one of the girls but what is it, who does it concern and will she own up?
1. Chapter 1

As she curled up in her bed at Cackle's Academy she felt the usual tears come running down her face as she breathed in sharply as an attempt to try to prevent the sobs that she knew would soon take over her body. This was now the routine for Miss Hardbroom and had been ever since she had found out that Mildred Hubble was one of the new first years to be attending the school this year. You see, there was more to Miss Hardbroom than met the eye. Yes she was the strong confident witch that scared the living daylights out of many of the students, but concealed within that hard shell was Constance, a fragile young woman who was suffering a great loss.

Fifteen years ago tomorrow she had given birth to the most beautiful twin girls, with her partner of five years by her side every step of the way. In many ways they were the perfect family, there was so much love shared between them all that it seemed impossible that anything bad could ever happen to any of them. The day before the babies were two weeks old, tragedy struck the happy family and Constance's world began to come crashing down around her. Her baby girl, named Dawn Eva Hubble (her partners name as they were soon to be married) died during the night. The death of their baby girl proved too much for her partner to cope with and so he soon left, leaving Constance to care for the other baby alone. Constance tried her hardest, she really did but eventually she had to admit defeat, she could not care for her baby girl all alone and so she had no choice but to put her up for adoption.


	2. Chapter 2

Most people around Cackle's knew that Mildred Hubble had been brought up in a non-magical background it was just assumed that the people that raised her were her biological parents, only two people in the school knew that this was not the truth. Mildred had been told from the very beginning that she was adopted and that her mother had to give her up after her twin sister had died and her father had left. She knew that she had her father's last name, the only thing she knew that she did not know about her background was who her mother was. Even though Mildred longed to find her some day she understood that the reason that she could not be told her name was that it would be too painful for her mother to see her after leaving her when she was a baby.

Mildred had no ill feelings towards her mother, whoever she was. In fact, she admired her mother's selflessness, bravery and courage that it must have taken to give her away to ensure a better life for her daughter, no matter how much it hurt her to do it. Mildred knew that it must have been hard to give away a daughter not long after loosing one. It was this unconditional love for this mysterious woman that helped Mildred through the hardest of times.

Tomorrow it was Mildred's birthday and on this day every year since she could remember, she would sit up until Midnight waiting and as the clock struck twelve she would get out the only photo she had of her twin, kiss it, say happy birthday and then speak to her mother (well actually just thin air but Mildred couldn't help but feel like her mother could hear her). Even though she was at Cackle's now and it was well after lights out, this year was going to be no different.


	3. Chapter 3

Miss Constance Hardbroom was sat in her room and as the clock struck twelve she began her yearly ritual. She opened her locket that she never removed and kissed the two photos inside of it in turn and wished them happy birthday. After this she sat whispering heartfelt apologies, for leaving them and allowing them to leave her, through tears and then reassuring them (or actually thin air) that even though their family was not together she loved them both with all her heart and always would.

As she turned onto her side to try and cry herself to sleep she found that she could hear other sobs and mutterings that were not her own. Sensing that some of the girls might need her help she got out of bed, dried her eyes, put on her dressing gown and began walking along the first year corridor listening for the room that the muffled sobs were reverberating out of. As she approached the last few rooms on the floor she found what she was looking for, she found the source of the commotion, and it was the room of Mildred Hubble. Constance decided that she should not disturb Mildred as it was clear that she was not in any immediate danger, instead she would just pop in (invisibly of course) and check that the young girl was all right.

As she flashed in without being noticed she decided to take a seat on the floor beside Mildred's bed and, as the sobs were dying down, watch her until she fell asleep. Then suddenly Mildred put the picture of her absent twin down and pulled her legs to her chest, showing no signs of sleeping any time soon. Once her breathing had returned to normal Mildred looked at her hands and began to speak.

"Mum, I know you probably can't hear this and we probably won't see each other ever again but I wanted to tell you, like I do every year, that I miss you. I know I don't actually have the slightest idea of who you are or what you are like but I want you to know that I love you and that the fact that you gave me up makes you a very brave person and I hope that one day I can be like you and put someone else's needs before my own. From what I have been told you are the most selfless person I will ever meet and I want you to know that I don't hate you for what you did because I know that you did it for the right reasons. I know that it is probably too painful for you to ever see me again but if you can hear me I want you to know that I would give anything to get to know you and I will do everything I can in my life to try and make you proud of me. I bet you would probably tell me that birthdays aren't meant to be sad, and they aren't, not when I wake up anyway, just before I go to sleep. I will never forget what I have been told about Dawn and you and Dad and if it is anybody's fault that you gave me up it is Dad's because he left you when you needed him most and if any of the events that lead to our separation were my fault then I'm truly sorry. I love you mum, always have, always will. Night…" and with that Mildred kissed her hand and blew across it towards the window and into the night sky.


	4. Chapter 4

As she wiped away the remaining teardrops on her cheeks and laid back against her pillow she suddenly felt like she was not alone, and then she heard it, a solitary sob that was not her own. As she turned to see who was in her room with her, she noticed her form tutor sitting on her floor, in a similar position to that of the one Mildred sat in while speaking to her mother, with tear drops staining her cheeks, as she looked straight at Mildred.

"Miss Hardbroom" squeaked Mildred as she realised that she had been caught awake after hours.

Constance had stopped being invisible the moment that she knew Mildred knew someone was in her room. She thought it only fair that she knew who it was that had obviously been listening to her speaking out loud some of her most hidden feelings.

"It's okay Mildred, I understand, you are not in trouble for anything. I just wanted to check that you are okay because I heard crying." Stated Miss Hardbroom as she got up and sat beside Mildred on her bed.

"Yeah I'm going to be fine Miss. Are you okay?" asked Mildred obviously concerned that her teacher had been sat on her floor crying.

"Yeah I'm just touched by what you were saying a minute ago."

"Oh" said Mildred obviously embarrassed for being caught speaking to her long lost mother, in the middle of the night, on her birthday. "How much of that did you hear?"

"I have been here since you put the picture of your sister down."

Mildred's expression changed from embarrassed to confused. How did Miss Hardbroom know that picture was of her sister and not that of a niece or a cousin?

"H…h…how do you know she is my sister?" Mildred stammered.

Constance had forgotten that she was not meant to know this part of Mildred's past. She was stuck now. How could she answer that without revealing who she was? After a moment of careful thinking Constance decided that she had to tell her the truth, no matter how much it hurt and no matter how many problems it could cause.


	5. Chapter 5

"I know that she is your sister the same way that I know that she is your twin and that her name is Dawn Eva Hubble, which is your fathers name because your parents were due to be married, and the same way that I know that she died not long after that photo was taken and the same way that I know that it was her death that was a large part of the reason your father left."

Tears were flowing freely out of Constance's eyes now as she took a deep breath and looked anywhere but at Mildred who was sitting looking stunned. Then Constance continued.

"The same way that I know that your mother put you up for adoption after she tried her hardest to look after you alone but in the end couldn't cope and the same way I know that you don't know her name or what she looks like and the same way that I know you look just like her when she was your age."

"I'm sorry Miss Hardbroom I still don't understand. Do you know my mother or something?" Mildred said still as confused as before.

Then Constance looked Mildred in the eye and stated plainly, "Yes I do know your mother, I know her very well."

She hoped that Mildred might get the message from that but Mildred being Mildred still didn't get it.

"But I still don't understand. If you know my Mum then it makes sense that you know all this about me but it doesn't explain why you were sitting on my floor in tears or why you never mentioned that you know her before or why you are getting so upset by this conversation."

Then after a few moments of careful thought an answer came into Mildred's head. Tears stung her eyes and a lump rose in her throat as she started to speak.

"She's dead isn't she?" Mildred almost squeaked before breaking down completely.

Then Constance's motherly instincts kicked in as she pulled Mildred into her arms and cradled her while stroking her hair. Once Mildred had quietened slightly Constance spoke.

"No Mildred, she isn't dead"

Mildred looked up at Constance at this point and asked one simple word, "Really?", while searching Constance's face to make sure she was getting an honest answer.

"Yes really Mildred. I promise you your mother is not dead. In fact she knows exactly who you are and where you live and she loves you very much Mildred but she didn't want you knowing her because she thought you would hate her for what she did." Constance said as more tears streamed down her cheeks and she looked at Mildred through blurry eyes.

"But I don't hate her. I could never hate her. She is my Mum and I will always love her no matter what." Mildred said sitting up and shifting backwards slightly on her bed so that she could look at Miss Hardbroom without having to bend her neck in such an unnatural fashion.

"Yes she knows that now and she's sorry for leaving you and I'm sorry for not telling you sooner."

"How does she know and how do you know she's sorry and for not telling me what?" Asked Mildred feeling like she was getting more confused instead of less.

"I'm sorry because I haven't been honest with you since you came to this school because I didn't tell you that I am more than just your teacher. Your mother knows what you think because she heard your whole speech earlier and I know that she heard your speech and is sorry b…b…because…because I'm your mother Mildred. I'm sorry because I'm the one that left you and because I love you and wish I had been stronger and been there for you all your life." Constance was crying so hard now that she could only whisper the last part and she couldn't see for tears. This meant that she did not see Mildred's face and so did not expect what happened next.


	6. Chapter 6

"Mum?" Mildred breathed as she looked up at Miss Hardbroom. She could hardly believe it as the woman before her simply nodded obviously too emotional to do anything else. Then suddenly Mildred could not help herself as she shuffled forward and wrapped her arms around her and began to cry tears of joy while letting her know that it was going to be okay and that she wasn't mad and that she loved her no matter what.

Constance was not expecting this reaction. She had been expecting to be shouted and screamed at and told what a terrible person she was before being pushed out of the room as her daughter sat alone in her room angry and upset while Constance was filled with guilt and regret and pain. Soon though Constance realised that this was not the case and that she had her daughter back and fair enough they had a lot to discuss but they would pull through it in the end.

During processing these thoughts she reached round and wrapped Mildred in her arms before moving them both backwards so that they were sat beside each other with their backs against the wall and their arms round each other.

"Happy birthday baby" Constance whispered to her daughter once they were sitting comfortably.

They sat like this for some time. Mildred was curled up beside her mother with her arms holding her close to her as if never wanting to let go in case she vanished again. Constance was sitting with one arm around her daughter's shoulders and her other hand stroking her hair as she gently rested her chin on the top of her head.

This is how they fell asleep, both of them happy that the other knew the truth and both of them exited and slightly nervous about what was in store for them in the future. But for now none of that mattered as they drifted off and dreamed about recent events, together and ecstatic to have found each other.


	7. Chapter 7

_The relationship between HB and Mildred has been revealed to the school a while ago and it has been accepted that they are mother and daughter but HB still treats he the same as any other student. _

_This is set just after HB asks Mildred what she was doing in the woods when she was meant to be in bed, near the end of Series 1 Episode 5 (Double, Double, Toil and Trouble), Mildred gave the same answer as in the episode but HB stayed in the room and the other girls left._

Once Maud, Ruby and Jadu were out of the room and had closed the door Constance moved to sit on the bed beside Mildred and looked at her hands resting in her lap.

"You were running away weren't you?" Constance said quietly. Then she heard a sniff come from the young girl sat beside her, she looked up to see tears streaming down Mildred's face as she felt them beginning to sting her own eyes.

"Why do you care?" Mildred snapped as she cuddled her knees close to her "You and Miss Cackle want rid of me so I thought I would save you the trouble of kicking me out."

"Oh Mills I don't want rid of you, I love you" said Constance as she moved to try and pull Mildred into a hug but as soon as Constance touched Mildred the young witch pulled her arm away, stood up and walked to the window while avoiding looking at her mother.

"Yes you do, you think I'm hopeless want rid of me just like when I was little and you gave me away. That's why you didn't try to defend me when Miss Cackle said that she would be glad to see the back of me…isn't it?" Mildred shouted. She had to admit that that was a low blow. She knew that it wasn't true but she was upset and not thinking straight.

"I thought we had sorted this Mills, you know that I never wanted to give you away but you know why I did it, why I had to do it…" Constance said a tear made its way down her cheek.

"Well if you don't want rid of me then why did you call me hopeless and why didn't you say anything when Miss Cackle said she would be glad to see the back of me?" Mildred said while still looking out of her window as if concentrating really hard on something in the distance.

"Okay, I admit that calling you hopeless wasn't fair when I didn't know all the facts about what happened and I'm sorry but you need to know that I did defend you once Miss Cackle and I were in her office why do you think your still in the school?" With no reply from Mildred Constance decided to continue.

"Mildred, please listen to me, I know you said you didn't hate me for what I did but you have the right to feel angry. I know I would if I were you, but please listen to me when I say that I tried my hardest not to have to give you away but I couldn't cope without your father. Without him I felt, and sometimes still feel, like a part of me is missing and I can't go on without it. I loved him very much. We had been together since school. Did you know that?" Constance said with a hint of a smile starting to show at the happy memories.

Mildred shook her head and turned to face her mum. She didn't like seeing her upset and that smile really suited her. She looked happy and contented, like she felt safe. Then it disappeared, as she gave a small half laugh half sigh, but the tears didn't return.

"My mum always told me that she didn't think I would marry and I would end up alone, even when I was with your dad. All through my childhood she told me that I didn't have the personality for being a 'good' wife or mother." Constance had never mentioned her parents to Mildred before and so Mildred had guessed that this was only one of many problems Constance had faced as a child.

"The day I told her I was pregnant, she told me I had let the family down by having children before marriage and that she never wanted to see me again, but I wasn't scared because I had your dad to help me through everything. That's why it hurt so much when he left because he knew that he was the only person I had to help me and he didn't give a second thought as to how I was feeling or how we were going to cope without him."

"Then there was just me and you." Constance looked up to meet Mildred's eyes just as Mildred came back and sat beside her on the bed. "You were my whole world then. Yes you cried through the night and I hardly got a minute to myself but you meant the world to me." Mildred leaned in and gave her mum a hug. She didn't like the fact that her mum was hurting but she liked the fact that Constance was sharing this with her and she hoped that speaking about this might help Constance to realise that she is not on her own anymore.

"I'm sorry Mum" Mildred said while reaching out and wrapping her arms around her mother's waist.

"It's okay Mills and I'm sorry for making you feel like you weren't wanted but I need you to know that you are. I do want you. You mean the world to me."

After a few minutes of quietly hugging each other Constance decided that it was time to do something more to make Mildred realise that she was serious about wanting to have a relationship with her, but she would have to check with Millie first.


	8. Chapter 8

_Okay…I don't exactly know how I managed to make the times between the chapters and during them fit in my head but they do…sorry if it's confusing I just thought this was the best way to do things…_

Constance had thought long and hard about what she was going to do and so a month after Mildred had tried to run away she stood in front of Mildred's door, knocked, and waited for a response. She was ready to accept her responsibilities as a mother and she was going to ask Mildred to come and stay with her during the holidays in the spare room of the house she rented, she was nervous but hoped that it would show Mildred that she was serious about wanting a relationship with her.

After no response she slowly opened the door and looked around for Mildred. Her heart broke at what she saw.

Mildred was sat on the floor behind her door with Tabby curled up beside her and tears streaming down her face. Constance moved to sit beside her daughter on the floor and gently put her arm around her.

"What's wrong Mills?" Constance asked gently.

Mildred didn't make an effort to speak but instead pushed two letters towards her mother, leaned into her embrace, closed her eyes tightly and let out the most heartbreaking sequence of sounds Constance had ever heard.

Constance took the first letter and read it. It was from Charlie, him and Mildred had been going out for a few months now, as Constance had recently found out, and he was visiting the academy quite regularly. On the most recent visit Mildred had told him that she loved him, it had been a big thing for her and she had spoken to Constance about it a lot before deciding to tell him.

This was a week ago and that night Mildred had came into Constance's room in tears saying that she had told him but he didn't say it back. Constance told Mildred that boys found it hard to admit their feelings and that Charlie would probably tell her how he felt soon.

It appeared that Constance's words had come true. In the letter Charlie had told Mildred exactly how he felt.

_Dear Mildred,_

_I have thought about what you told me (that you love me) and I have decided that I can't do this anymore. The truth is I only went out with you because Ethel dared me to. I didn't mean to lead you on or to make you fall in love with me, it just happened. The thing is…me and Ethel are a couple, have been since the first day I came to Cackle's. I'm sorry if I hurt you but I don't think we should speak any more, not even as friends._

_From Charlie._

Constance looked at the letter in disbelief. She had thought that Charlie was a nice boy, a boy that would treat her daughter right and make her happy (even if it was just as a friend). She was about to say something to Mildred about how he obviously wasn't right for her or he wasn't good enough for her but then she remembered the other letter. She looked down and picked it up. This one wasn't from Charlie. It was more formal and had been typed on a computer as opposed to it being handwritten.

_Dear Miss Hubble,_

_I am sorry to have to inform you that there has been an unfortunate incident. On the second of September your parents were involved in a road traffic collision and received serious injuries. The ambulance and hospital teams did all that they could but despite their best efforts and due to the severity of the injuries your father was pronounced dead at the scene and your mother later died in hospital._

_We understand that this is a distressing time for you but we would like you to remain at Cackle's until the end of term time when we will find you suitable accommodation. A solicitor will be arriving at the school on the fifth to talk to you about your parent's will and discuss funeral arrangements. Please find a suitable adult to attend the meeting with you, a letter has also been sent to your headmistress explaining the situation._

Constance could not read the rest of the letter because she too had tears streaming down her face. Poor Mildred she lost her boyfriend and found out that her parents had died the previous day all in one morning. Constance could not speak, she couldn't find the words. Instead she just pulled her daughter closer and allowed her to cry out all of her pain.

A time later, it could have been hours but Constance wasn't sure, Miss Cackle knocked on Mildred's door and entered.

"Mildred, are you here?" She said before she noticed Constance with the sleeping form of Mildred curled up on her on the floor. "Oh, Constance, do you know?" She asked nodding her head towards the letter.

"Yeah" Constance said her voice gritty with all the emotions.

Constance stood up, carefully lifted Mildred, placed her onto the bed and pulled a blanket over her. She motioned to Miss Cackle to step outside before she placed a light kiss to Mildred's head and moved quietly out of the room.

This situation changed everything and despite the horrific events that had taken place to cause this situation Miss Hardbroom knew that some good could come from it.


End file.
